Frank can also be seen at the Brigantine Gallery and Art Academy, Downers Grove, IL
In May 2000 Frank deLoach was appointed Artist-on-Floor at the Field Museum of Natural History, the first such appointment in decades. His knowledge of paleontology and artistic ability made him well-suited to both produce pictures of Sue, the preserved T-Rex skeleton at the Field Museum, and answer questions posed by patrons concerning her background and significance. Beginning with remarkably detailed sketches, Frank adapted his style to large paintings of Sue. As time went on Frank expanded his artistic interest to include the Chicago Botanic Gardens, the Chicago Bears, and Millennium Park/Cloud Gate.
Over the past eight years, Frank has produced numerous paintings. His style continues to evolve into more sophisticated renderings of his surroundings. Frank seems to accept these changes of style without question. He frequently discusses these changes as unplanned or “organic” in nature. According to Frank, “what I plan in the beginning of a painting is seldom what comes out in the end. The paintings tend to take control of the process after the first half-hour, and I simply follow the directions of the work.”
Frank usually works six to eight hours without interruption each day. Because his subjects are often outside, he is dependent on clement weather. A typical painting requires over sixty hours of direct contact with the subject and many more hours of studying the canvas for direction. He generally works on two or three paintings concurrently because of the drying time for each canvas. His palette remains rather simple as he prefers “earthy” tones over bright colors. Frank continues to be a prolific artist, completing two or three paintings per month.
